At 17, Grace-Esther Mienandi-Lahou has just finished an exceptional season on the mat. At over 70 kg, she has won all the titles, France, Europe and the World Championship in individual and mixed teams, plus two European tournaments. No French judoka has ever amassed so many cadet titles in one season.
The story begins in Villepinte, where she was born, raised, lives and still trains. “I started judo for the first time when I was six, but I didn’t like it very much, she explains. I quit. In my family they are all lovers of basketball, my mother, my father … So I tried. But I immediately stopped, I don’t like running! So I went back to the Villepinte Judo Club. “
“Send, baby!”
At first judo was fun, a pastime, but when she was less than 2 years old Grace-Esther Mienandi-Lahou became vice-champion of France. “At that moment I told myself that it was possible to try to reach the highest level, to do something good in judo. “ And according to his mother, Ida Mienandi-Lahou, “When Grace-Esther does something, she likes to do it right. She is diligent and in life she is reserved, polite, discreet. “ Soufiane Chebbi, her coach at the Judo Club de Villepinte, adds: “But on the mat she is a warrior, she wants it. You have made a lot of progress and still have a lot of room for further improvement. You are on the right track. “ So Grace-Esther works, works … During the uchi komi (test exercises of a technique ed), sometimes it is the president of the club Karim Saïd and his 1m85 to act as a partner for the young champion. And by blowing, she testifies to it“Send it, baby! pff … “
golden harvest
This year, everything is ready for Grace. She started with first place in a tournament of excellence. “I was proud of myself, so proud, it was my first gold medal! It was so hard to get. When I received it, I cried, cried … I also cried on the return bus! “
Later, he chained European Cup victories in Fuengirola in Spain, in Zagreb in Croatia. Which earned him to participate with the French team in the European and World Championships and to return with his 4 gold medals. He felt both the joy of winning individually and as a team.“When you win individually, it’s for you, for your family. As a team it’s different, you fight for others. We support each other, we encourage each other. And when we see that everyone else has won, we must win too! it’s not about being the one who makes the team lose. “
In the footsteps of Audrey Tcheuméo
As for the school, Grace-Esther is in her senior year and dreams of becoming an architect. “I like designing projects, doing interior design… I did an internship at the Villepinte town hall, it reinforced my idea of becoming an architect. “ Meanwhile, this year he will leave the Pôle espoir de Brétigny to join the INSEP, with the gratin of French judo. In particular, you will find Audrey Tcheuméo of RSC Montreuil, world champion and two-time Olympic medalist. “Audrey is very nice to me, she follows me and supports me. Having the advice of such a champion is too strong! ” We wish Grace-Esther Mienendi-Lahou the same list of awards as “Tchoumi”, at least!
Photo: Nicolas Moulard
